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Online child health advice from NHS most reliable

Typing your child’s health problem into the search engine, Google, is unlikely to help you reach the answer you’re looking for, reports the BBC. Researchers have found that only about 200 of 500 sites offered the correct health information.

The team used Google to find UK advice on five common issues, including breastfeeding and autism, and discovered that government-run sites were the only completely reliable source.

It’s estimated that 70% of UK households now have internet access, and parents turn to search engines for a second opinion on medical issues. But doctors are concerned that large amounts of information and advice available on the web is unreliable and misleading.

The researchers from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS trust tested this by typing key words into Google, restricting results to UK-based sites. They found half of the search results failed to answer the question. Of the 500 results, 11% gave inaccurate information, and 39% gave the right answer.

However, government websites like NHS Direct or NHS Choices continue to be very accurate and should be recommended more by doctors, said the researchers. A spokesman for the Department of Health said NHS Choices was now the most popular health website in the UK.

The major reason parents in the UK turn for Google Help, is because they have very little hope in getting advice from their GP's surgery, you cant even make a phone call for advice on your Babies or Children's Health.And if very worried and you ask for a Doctor to call upon you, forget it!, better hope in asking for the 'crown jewels'.

I've been online for help cos there's some things your GP can't help with,particularly if you need an answer when our surgery's closed for three hours in the middle of the day,or evenings and weekends.You have to be sensible about which sites you use though.If you really want help NHS Direct is the best cos the get back to you with a sensible answer

Nothing beats your GP or hospital, but being able to check online for more info or explanation is great and has really help put my mind at ease or keep me up to speed on illnesses to what out for. I just make sure I'm looking at websites I trust.

So i'd always head to a professional (who's done years of medical training) to make sure my wee one was fine, the web is like the old health reference book my mum had - it just keeps you aware of what you can expect, especially the nursery bugs. (yuk!)

We're all smart enough to know not to trust everything on the net, but there are good sites out there with a good reputation that make me more informed ie chickenpox could seem like the end of the world, unless you'd read up on ti!

Also very reassuring in middle of night like theoldwomanwholivesinshoe said!